That fate forgot
by Moo Chapman
Summary: AU fic, Donna had Free rides baby while still in high school


That fate forgot, by Moo  
  
This is an AU story in this reality Donna fell pregnant to Free ride (who in this story is named Brian Miller) just before graduating high school, he left her after he found out. Donna with the help of her mother and father managed to begin her degree a year later, leaving the baby with her mother while at class, she received her degree majoring in political science and ethics. She moved to DC and is now chief of staff for the democratic Congresswoman Lilly Waltman, who is quite found of Donna's daughter eight year old, Lavenia Rose. Lavenia's father rarely takes the time to see her and when he does it is an only day visit, when she is in Wisconsin visiting her Grandparents.  
  
Josh of course also has a eight year old daughter, it is based in the third year of the Bartlet administration (but the second season), for which Josh of course still works, His daughter Joan-Elizabeth, stayed for the most part with her grandmother and father during the campaign, until the death of her grandfather when returned to Josh. Joan-Elizabeth is cared for primarily by nannies, Which don't really stay around much longer then a month, is absolutely adored by her father who spends as much time with her as he can. Joan-Elizabeth doesn't remember her mother who took off never to be herd from again when Joan-Elizabeth was only nine month old.  
  
That out of the way.  
  
This story title was taken from a quot I found and liked "Best friends are the sister's that fate forget to give us" the quot was taken from an unknown source. Another Quot that I like and hope to use in this story is: "We are traveller's in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can hope find in our travels is an honest friend."  
  
That fate forgot.  
  
Tuesday 6:30 pm  
  
Joan-Elizabeth's latest nanny quit last night so Josh had taken the night off, and decides that he may as well watch his little girl as she took her twice weekly Tae-kwon-do class he arrived just before the class started, Joan-Elizabeth always rode to her class with her best friends mother, a practise organised four nannies ago, Josh never having meet the woman, though he had meet the child, something he planed to change tonight. He entered the hall in which the juniors were instructed and looked around for his child, he found her standing in front of an attractive woman who seemed to be braiding her hair, Joan-Elizabeth always returned from her Tae-kwon- do class with her hair braided, he guessed that the woman was Lavenia's mother, Lavenia had raven black hair so thick that it rivalled Joan- Elizabeth's, so Josh had always assumed that he would found her mother like wise, his assumption proved incorrect. Lavenia's mother was also a good deal younger then him, and he felt as though he she know her from somewhere, but could not place her.  
  
When the woman's had finished with Joan-Elizabeth's she turned the child to face her there was a look of mock appraisal on the young woman's face, then she said some that made Joan-Elizabeth laugh, which he could tell from the other side of the room because his daughter laughed with her whole body. The woman expression changed becoming one of adoration she lent down and kissed her on the forehead. Josh had never claimed to be able to read lips but he could tell even at a distance when the young woman spoke that she was telling Joan-Elizabeth that she was beautiful. Just them Lavenia whose hair was already braided pointed over at him. Joan-Elizabeth turned and broke into a huge smile, she launched her self away from her friend and her friend's mother and ran at him, her white uniform flapping loudly.  
  
"Daddy!" the girl exclaimed as she though her arms around his waist. Joan- Elizabeth hadn't always been as contact driven as she is now, now when every in a room with her father was almost always holding his hand or hugging him, this seemed to have come about after Josh had been shot, apparently during the whole of his surgery she had been sitting on one lap or another claiming that she just wanted to hold his hand.  
  
"Hey Lizzy girl" Josh said and lifted her a little then placed her back on her feet.  
  
"Can you stay and watch me Daddy?" Joan-Elizabeth asked with a dimpled smile  
  
"Baring a national emergency, I'm all your for the rest of the night" he said Joan-Elizabeth grabbed her hand and pulled him in the direction that she had just come from.  
  
"You have to meet Lavenia's mama." She said and Josh followed willingly. The young woman was undeniably attractive, and he knew from Joan-Elizabeth, that Lavenia's father was not in the picture. As the Lyman's approached Lavenia's mother stood and for the first time Josh notice that she was wearing a ghee with a black belt wrapped neatly around her small waist, the was a white band across the end of the belt that he knew meant that she had reached first dan grade.  
  
He held his hand out to the woman "I'm Josh Lyman,"  
  
"I know who you are Mister Lyman," She said with a polite smile.  
  
"You do?" he asked a little unsure perhaps he was actually supposed to know her  
  
"You called mama's boss and idiot on TV," Lavenia said holding back her laughter  
  
"Actually Liv I do that allot, it really makes the President mad" Josh said talking to his daughters best friend, whom he knew to be an intelligent child. That comment got a laugh from Lavenia, but no such luck with her mother. "Lavenia do you think you could tell me who your mom works for?"  
  
"Congresswoman Waltman" Lavenia said with a proud smile, "Mama's her chief of staff" that shocked Josh, he had herd the congresswoman's chief of staff was young, but this woman was very young, in fact he was guessing that she properly had Lavenia when she in high school.  
  
"For what it's worth, mister Lyman, I have since convinced her that she was wrong and you were right," Lavenia's mother said and reached out her hand "Donna Moss"  
  
"Pleaser to meet you Ms Moss." Josh said  
  
"Girl's tidy up class is starting" Donna said still looking at Josh. Both girls instantly turn so they were facing away from her and tugged their uniform tops and readjusted their belts. "Excuse me Mister Lyman, I have a class." She said and walked not to the door the lead to the seniors area but to the front of the hall, it was then that Josh realised that Donna Moss was not taking a class but teaching one, which explained why her eight year old daughter was blue belt second dan. The girls both ran to their positions, as did all the other kids.  
  
Joan-Elizabeth had decided she wanted to take Tae-kwon-do, after she and Lavenia become friends, so of corse wanted to be in the same class as her friend, Josh rang up and found that there was in fact a waiting list for the class but the moment that he mentioned Joan-Elizabeth's name the woman that she was talking to she said she could start on the following Tuesday that was three months ago since then Joan-Elizabeth had, had her first grading and she was now white belt first dan. Through out the class Josh had to force himself to watch his daughter and not her instructor. Donna moved the lines of kids adjusting stances and arms always a smile and an encouraging word.  
  
If Donna wasn't so much younger then him he might have asked her out for a drink, not that he minded her age, it was more a matter of the fear of her minding his, and thinking him a dirty old man, this girl probably hadn't seen her twenty seventh birthday yet, and he was close to his forty first then he like to admit. No he wouldn't ask her for a drink but he would certainly encourage his daughter to spend more time with hers.  
  
Soon the class was over, and after a short conference between the two friends they separated to their respective parents.  
  
Donna watched Lavenia come over to her with her 'Can I' face on, it was the look that she always got when she was going to ask for some thing.  
  
"Mama, can Joan-Elizabeth's Daddy come with us to dinner?"  
  
"Baby, Joan-Elizabeth's daddy is a busy man, I'm sure that he would rather spend some quality time with his little girl" Donna said, she actually had no problem with Josh Lyman joining her and her daughter in the dinner they normally sheared with Joan-Elizabeth and her nanny of the month. Her latest Nanny, Anne, had been a very young eighteen, who seemed to have less a sense of responsibility then Joan-Elizabeth. Donna wasn't surprised that the girl had only lasted three weeks.  
  
"Please Mama? Can we just ask him?" Lavenia asked, then her face changed to the expression that Donna called her 'I got you stumped' face "I would be rude not to." She pointed out  
  
"Well then my little rose, lets us ask" Donna said and take her daughters hand between where there were and where Josh and Joan-Elizabeth were they were stopped three times by parents and students alike, student's saying how much they liked the class and Parents saying how well their child had responded to her class.  
  
At length they did in fact reach Josh and Joan-Elizabeth; both girls' shear a scheming smile, Donna didn't think that Josh court the girls interaction, no denying they were up to something.  
  
"Mister Lyman" Donna started  
  
"Josh" he corrected. Donna turned her head a little to the side, much like a pup considering some thing new, after a moment's consideration, Donna, nodded and smiled.  
  
"Josh, I not sure if you know, but I normally take the girls out to dinner after class, and though I'm sure you would rather spend some time with your daughter Lavenia instead that I ask the two of you to dinner." Donna said forcing her self to speak slowly, though she, at time's took advantage of the flaky image that she presented she spoke quickly as was her practise, being the youngest of her siblings and the only female she learnt early in life she had speak loud and quick to make her point to those who didn't want to listen.  
  
"Far be it for me to snub tradition" Josh said, with a dimpled smile that Donna tried to convince herself did not make her week at the knees "What are we having?" her asked  
  
"Well, Anne chose last Thursday, so that means it's Joan-Elizabeth's choice tonight, so we best ask her" Donna said and looked down at the little girl.  
  
"Chinese" Joan-Elizabeth said with out taking a moment to think it over, Donna looked to Josh to see if that was ok with him and he gave her a small nod.  
  
"Well we best get changed" Donna said "Excuse us" Donna said and took the girls and got them both changed back in to their school uniforms. The only reason she could afford the tuition at Georgetown academy, where both girls attended, was that both Donna's and Brain's parents paid a good portion of it. Donna helped each girl on with her blazer, while deciding not to wear her suit jacket. Her charcoal grey suit other wise known at work as her Republican suit, it was impersonal and did nothing for her figure, she left the top two buttons undone on the sky blue silk shirt grabbed her brief case and slung her back pack over her shoulder. And walked out to Josh who was still waiting.  
  
Donna noticed the way Josh Lyman's eye's ran cross her body as she approached him, for a very short few minutes she let her self believe that he was actually cheeking her out, then she remember that he was one of the most attractive and powerful men in Washington DC and he could have in interested in a twenty seven year old single mother who's ex run off the moment he found out she was pregnant. She was Wisconsin white trash, and he was a Harvard and Yale educated lawyer, from a well-respected Connecticut family. There was no way on earth he was interested.  
  
"There a Chinese place just down the street," Donna said with a smile  
  
"Actually I know it, it's my favourite" Joshed and took his daughters bag from her that's when Donna notice that Joshua Lyman did not carry a brief case but a back pack, which he had slung over one shoulder much like she was carrying Lavenia's and her own gear, but Josh Lyman doing it just seemed cute to her, fuzzy bunny and little baby kind of cute, the corner's of Donna's mouth crept up into a smile that she was desperately fighting. "I don't think that we'll get a table, you'd be surprised how little favour being the Deputy chief of staff will win you."  
  
"No problem, owner's son has a crush on me," Donna said with a smile.  
  
"And you don't have a problem taking advantage of that?" Josh asked a little surprised, though he was unsure why most people in politics would have no problem taking advantage of any kind of relationship.  
  
"To get me a table." Donna asked "No I don't, though I would never used a relationship I have with any one else for Political gain, if that's what your asking" Donna's smile didn't flatter  
  
Josh enjoyed dinner with Donna and Lavenia more then had enjoyed a great many things in the last few months, he couldn't remember smiling and laughing so much since Roslyn, Donna was an amazing woman with strong views on almost every thing but that didn't stop her from listening to him and taking what he said in to consideration, while they agreed, for most part, their were some things which they didn't. Josh knew that he could not keep his temper any time any one disagreed with him, but some how arguing with Donna was fun.  
  
Her sarcastic wit appealed to him, and he was proud of him self for each time he made her laugh, he got the impression that she just didn't laugh enough. He court her looking at him with a wistful and sad look a couple of time's but most of the time she managed to shake it of before he had any real time to consider it. The only notable exception being when the end of Lavenia's braid fall in to her dinner, and Josh had taken up his serviette and whipped the food away and made jokes about it with the child. Lavenia's hair quite long just two inches above her hips in fact. Josh got the impression that Donna thought that she was failing Lavenia some how because her father wasn't around.  
  
Josh desperately tried to think of a reason for the night not to end yet, while he walked her to her car, which was still park at the Tae-kwon-do centre. Lavenia and Joan-Elizabeth were walking in front of them and talking in whispers, as eight-year-old best friends tend to do in front of their parents.  
  
Josh watched as Donna fished her keys from her pockets and unlocked the doors.  
  
"Mamma can I have my school bag one of, Joan-Elizabeth's book is in there?" Lavenia asked but Donna simply ignored the girl's request  
  
"I have laughed that much in a long time Josh"  
  
"Excuse me Mama, but could you please pass me my back pack?" Lavenia asked realising her mistake. Donna slipped the bag off her shoulder and past it to her daughter. "Thank you Mama" The child got a smile in response  
  
"I know exactly how you feel, Donna."  
  
"Oh no, how could have been so stupid" Lavenia said and throw her school bag down on the ground in frustration.  
  
"Lavenia Rose, Your grandparents and I pay a lot of money for those books, show some respect, and don't call your self stupid, you are many things child but stupid is one of them, now-"  
  
"Mama take breath," Lavenia suggested to her mother with what seemed to be real concern in her voice. Donna gave a small laugh.  
  
"Who's the mother here?" Donna asked, "Now tell me?"  
  
"I forgot Joan-Elizabeth's book and she needs to study her notes the test is the day after tomorrow."  
  
"You borrowed some thing and forgot to return it?" Donna asked surprised  
  
"What's the big deal I do it all the time?" Josh stated wondering why Donna looked as though Lavenia just told that the world was flat  
  
"You don't have the Moss organisation gene" Joan-Elizabeth said to her father highly amused by what was happening, she was just as disorganised as he was and loved see her best friend in the position that she was normally in even if it was all play acting.  
  
"Well I guess, well just have to go home pick it and dorp it around." Donna said she was a little thrown, josh could tell form her.  
  
"Don't be silly, you're not directly in our way but not more then a few minutes out of it." Josh said "I'll follow you back to your place and pick up the book, No need to cart the thing from one side from the city to the other" Josh smiled down at his daughter wondering briefly if she had set this up some how. Not that he wasn't grateful if she had, he just didn't want her to get her hopes up. There wasn't much chance of any thing happening between Donna and him, even if some thing about her seemed to put him at ease.  
  
"Ok. Well um, ok" Donna said and opened the door and got in behind the wheel of the car.  
  
"I'll take the girl's with me" he said and closed the door for her. Once Josh got both girls in his car he turned to them in the back seat "Does your mom always stumble her words like that Liv?" Josh asked  
  
"Some time's when she's nervus, like when she meet the first lady." Lavenia said with a smile. Josh smiled at the girl's answer, he liked that he had thrown Donna little. 


End file.
